When and where to download iOS 26 in India and US? Release time, eligible iPhones,key features and more

Apple’s iOS 26 update was announced at the company’s WWDC 25 conference in June and is finally ready to be rolled out to iPhone users globally starting today. After the awe-dropping event last week, Apple also announced that it would be rolling out iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe, and watchOS 26 starting today.

At what time will iOS 26 be released?

Apple has confirmed that the new iOS 26 update will be rolled out from today, Monday. While the company did not give a specific release time, its history indicates a 10 a.m. Pacific Time window, which translates to 10:30 p.m. India Time.

How to get iOS 26 today?

Here’s how you can download the iOS 26 update once it’s available on your device:

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Tap on “General” and then click on “Software Update.”
• If the new update is available for your iPhone, you should see an option to “Download & Install” it.
• Tap on the option, agree to the terms and conditions, and enter your passcode if prompted.
• iOS 26 will now begin installing on your iPhone, and your iPhone will restart to complete the update.

Pro tip:

Back up your iPhone to iCloud or a storage device to protect your data in case anything goes wrong during the installation of the new update.

Do ensure that your iPhone has at least 50% battery or is connected to a power source during the installation process.

iPhone SE (2nd generation and later)

What’s new with the iOS 26 update:

By far the biggest change with iOS 26 is the introduction of a new visual language across the interface called “Liquid Design.” The new UI is characterized by translucent, fluid, and layered elements that are said to resemble real glass.

Apart from the Apple Intelligence features already seen on iOS 18, Apple has introduced a fresh set of AI features with iOS 26, which includes new Live Translation features in Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app. The Phone app can also now screen calls from unknown numbers, asking the caller for their name and purpose and giving users the option of accepting or ignoring the call.

A new filters feature can also filter messages from unknown senders to reduce spam and distraction.

Users can also utilize tools like Visual Intelligence to interact with what’s on their screen, including searching for products, getting answers using ChatGPT, or adding events to their calendar by simply looking at them.